This invention relates to a pick-up head for air flow surface cleaning apparatus and more particularly to such a pick-up head which shall be adapted for cleaning surfaces such as roads, streets, parking lots and the like.
Heretofore in the art to which my invention relates various types of apparatus have been devised for removing debris and dirt from parking lots, streets and the like. Such apparatus has included vehicle-mounted sweepers having rotary brushes and suction equipment which dislodge and remove the dirt and debris from a surface to be cleaned and apparatus which forced air over a surface to be cleaned to thus entrain and pick up dirt and debris. Also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,512,206 and 3,545,181 disclose apparatus in which a longitudinal blast of air under pressure strikes the surface to be cleaned at an acute angle from the rear of the pick-up head. This blast of air moves the dirt and debris toward the front of the pick-up head in the direction of movement of the vehicle with movement of the air then being turned laterally toward the discharge end thereof. With this apparatus, portions of the blasts of air escape the pick-up head whereby lightweight litter, such as light cups, cans and the like are blown outwardly from the front and sides thereof, thus reducing the cleaning efficiency of the apparatus.